


Teenage Hero

by gleefanatic



Series: Teenage Hero [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: F/M, Planned Pregnancy, Teen Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2018-07-27 15:30:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 16
Words: 16,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7624102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gleefanatic/pseuds/gleefanatic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. People laugh when they hear that lima loser Noah Puckerman is 17 and has already gotten two girls pregnant. If they knew the real story, maybe they wouldn't find it so funny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> In this verse, Rachel has never attended WMHS. In my head, this started as a Puck/OC plot but I'm tweaking things because I can't get enough of Puckleberry.

If you had told Noah Puckerman even two months ago that he would be starting his junior year of high school about to become a father for the second time he would have slammed you into a locker before dumping your ass into a dumpster. 

Yet here he was, heading home from the first football game of the season to tend to his pregnant girlfriend instead of heading to whatever party was being thrown to kick off the year. And honestly, he was pretty fucking satisfied with his plans. After all, his girl was smokin' and even if she was already asleep when he got home at least he’d be able to crawl into bed with her and the child growing inside of her. 

For now, this was their little secret. After all, it wasn’t like anyone in this small minded town was going to understand.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I know that the medical happenings in this may not be completely accurate but we're calling that author's creative license because without it there is no story.

While he wouldn't admit it out loud, after everything that had happened this past year, Puck was kind of glad that his mother had sent him to live with his nana for the summer. He was less glad that he was being forced to see a counselor twice a week but it had helped him deal with the loss of Beth. Of course, she was perfectly fine, he was sure, but she wasn't his and deep down he had wanted to keep her. It had been Quinn's decision though so now some people out there somewhere were raising his daughter.

Dr. Monroe was kind of awesome. She let him just talk about whatever, didn't yell at him for cursing or anything. It was just another session when the door barged open and some chick ran in in tears. Quickly the secretary followed after apologizing profusely but Puck didn't need to be told that his time was up for the day. Clearly, this chick needed the help more than he did.

Still, there was something about just how distraught she had seemed that made Puck do something that wasn't him and he headed down the block to the bakery, picking up a large brownie before waiting outside the therapist's office.

+

Rachel Berry had never grown up with a mother. Don't get her wrong, she loved her daddies more than anything. They had always gone out of their way to make sure that she had never wanted for anything and that she had every opportunity possible. Still, never having that bond with someone had left a hole deep inside her. While she didn't speak of it often, Rachel wanted nothing more than to have her own children someday. She wanted to know what it was like to have something that she had created growing and kicking and moving inside of her, for someone to look like her and take after her. For most of her life, this desire had remained hidden under her love for Broadway and performing. While she had no doubt that she would be a star someday, she wanted to be that role model that other girls looked up to when they wanted to have it all.

That was why she had been completely wrecked by her visit to the doctor's today. There was a growth in her uterus, and while the doctors had tested it and found that it wasn't cancerous, the news was still grim. It had gotten much larger over the last few months and soon it would require surgery. The problem was that it was too dangerous to just remove the growth, the doctors would have to perform a hysterectomy preventing Rachel from ever being able to have children of her own. Completely heartbroken, Rachel asked if there was any other way in which her doctor responded that there was just one. If Rachel was to get pregnant within the next few months, the change in hormones would likely cause the mass to shrink and disappear as the pregnancy progressed. She would be able to have her babies in the future but she would have to go through the stigma and difficult decision of a teenage pregnancy.

Seeing as Rachel had never had a real relationship, she wasn't the type for one-night stands and her daddies would never approve of in vitro, Rachel didn't see any way possible to avoid the surgery and the loss of her most instinctive desire. Without even calling, she headed from the doctors to her therapist's bursting through the doors a complete wreck. Even as she attempted to talk and mostly cried, Rachel felt completely helpless. For the first time in her life, it felt like she had no control over her future and that wasn't a pleasant feeling.


	3. Chapter 2

After nearly an hour, Rachel had composed herself for the moment and knew that she had to go home to face this inner burden by herself. As she stepped back into the evening heat, Rachel heard a voice from off to the left asking her if she was okay. Though her head had been down for a reason, Rachel turned her head and saw a teenage boy with a mohawk standing there, a small container in his hand which he promptly held out in offering. "When my ma gets crazy emotional she usually wants chocolate so I figured it couldn't hurt."

A few tears fell from Rachel's eyes mainly because she was in shock that anyone would actually care enough to do something so sweet for her. "Um...thanks." She whispered. "You really didn't have to you know." Taking a closer look at him Rachel realized that he had been the one whom she'd interrupted with her meltdown. "Especially after I interrupted your session. I'm so so sorry about that by the way, I just wasn't thinking." He simply shrugged.

"It's no biggie, trust me. I'm being forced to go so whatever." Rachel was somewhat relieved that he wasn't pissed at her because that was just something she didn't need right now. "So what happened that caused the crazy bawling I was subjected to?" Puck asked honestly just curious. If it was something lame he would definitely judge her and she seemed the type to freak out over nothing.

While Rachel honestly did want the opinion of someone closer to her in age, she really didn't want to talk about it here. "I'll explain but not here." She murmured. "Go to the park?" There was one just down the block that was usually dead and would provide some much-needed privacy. Puck motioned for her to head that way and Rachel walked, taking bites of her brownie along the way before sliding onto a bench under some trees before pulling her knees to her chest.

"Have you ever wanted kids?" She knew it was a question that usually freaked guys out so she quickly added onto it. "Like somewhere in the distant future?" Immediately Puck's breath caught in his throat and he nearly told her that he had to go, after all, she wouldn't be the first girl he'd ditched when things got awkward. Sensing that she should probably just keep talking Rachel bit her lip before opening her mouth again. "Because I've always wanted to be a mom someday. You know, when I'm married and I've made it onto Broadway and won a Tony Award." With her arms wrapped around her legs to try and ease the pain that was welling deep inside of her chest again Rachel laid her head on her knee for a second before glancing over at the boy next to her.

"I've got a growth in my uterus and it keeps getting bigger and the doctor had only two solutions for me. Have surgery to remove my uterus and the growth which would prevent me from ever having kids of my own or get pregnant within the next month or so and hope that it takes care of the problem." Neither was an ideal choice by any means. "So basically, either way, I'm screwed." Rarely ever did Rachel Berry find the need to curse but this was certainly one of those times.

'Well damn,' that was certainly not what Puck had expected when he asked what was wrong. He'd expected a lame teenage problem but that was something big and life changing no matter what. "If you want a kid so bad go get yourself knocked up." It was obvious that that was the wrong thing to say when the petite brunette glared at him.

"It's not that simple…" She whispered. If it was a perfect world that would be exactly what she'd do but this was by no means nirvana. First of all, babies were expensive and while yes, she could have a baby and then give it up for adoption Rachel knew deep down she wouldn't be able to handle that. Especially not knowing whether the growth would come back in the future putting her in the same position.

Running his fingers through his hair Puck debated on whether to open up to her or not. Figuring it really couldn't hurt he started. "I got a girl pregnant. My best friend's girl actually." Rachel's eyes went wide and she twisted sideways to look at him as he spoke. "Had a little girl named Beth just a few months ago. We put her up for adoption, her choice not mine. It's kind of why I'm being forced to see a therapist. My mom and nana don't want me reverting back to doing stupid shit because of it."

Rachel had no idea how he was able to deal with all of that and still seem so normal. "How do you do it?" She whispered though she really wasn't expecting an answer.

"It's not easy knowing that my baby is out there but Quinn wanted nothing to do with being a mom and there was no way I could raise her by myself and not fuck things up. Do I wish I could have kept her, hell yeah but it wasn't meant to be. If you want a kid though, don't let society tell you, you shouldn't."

Surprisingly, that was actually pretty good advice and Rachel reached out to squeeze his knee. "I really wish I could. But even forgetting the money and society and everything else I just don't think it is." She went silent for a minute before she felt her previous gesture returned as a signal for her to elaborate.

"I'm a virgin and I'm not exactly the type guys are trying to bed. As much as it would be easy to attempt a one night stand could I really do that and have to deal with some stranger being the father to a baby. It just sounds cruel to try and use someone like that." She had a point, Puck had to admit. He certainly wouldn't be happy if some chick used him to get pregnant without his knowledge or permission. Looking her over though it was hard to see how no guy had wanted to tap that. Her legs seemed like they would never end when she was standing and her petite figure was honestly one he wouldn't mind having ride him.

"Yeah I guess it's complicated." He declared. "Just don't give up all hope yet okay. The big man upstairs sometimes has a plan beyond your wildest expectations."

"Thank you. Again." She whispered moving to stand up. "For the brownie and the talk. I think I'm going to go home and try to sleep. I need to take some more pain meds anyway before the cramps hit again." That was probably the worst symptom she was experiencing right now because of the growth. It was just something she had to power through.

Standing up after her, Puck slipped his hand into her pocket causing her to gasp while he came away with her phone as planned. Shooting himself a text he handed it back to her, a smirk gracing his face at the way she was still reacting. "Let me know what you decide. I may not be from around here but you're not half bad nameless brunette."

Giggling, Rachel looked up at him before turning away. "It's Rachel." She called over her shoulder only to hear him shout 'Noah' in reply. While today had still sucked and Rachel was as clueless as before, at least she didn't feel quite so alone about it all.


	4. Chapter 3

For the next week, Rachel went about her daily routine as normally as she could. Vocal lessons were a way for her to escape emotionally and while she couldn't put the same effort into dance as she normally did it was also a way of focusing on something other than her looming problem and a decision that needed to be made. While her actions were normal, at the same time, Rachel blocked everyone in her life out. She only spoke to her dads when she absolutely had to, trying to put off sharing the latest test results with them. There weren't really any friends in her life, that was except for the boy who seemed to understand how she was feeling by the messages he sent.

Their conversations were never anything more than idle talk but for some reason just knowing that he was there and willing to listen comforted Rachel.

His latest texts had suggested that she meet him at the local pool, and while Rachel was more self-conscious of her body than ever, agreed and slipped her suit on under a tank and shorts before walking across town to where the pool was located next to the community center. Surprisingly it was mostly dead, only a few families taking refuge from the heat. This made it easy to find the tall teen lounging on a chair in the far corner.

As she approached, Noah took in the sight of the slim brunette and how while her clothes were simple she was fucking hot in them. He couldn't wait to see what she looked like when they came off. Nodding in her direction as she set her bag next to the chair beside his, Noah sat up.

"Took you long enough…" He teased causing her to smile weakly. The reaction wasn't the one he anticipated and he let a look of concern grace his face.

"Sorry, the doctor called asking if I had made a decision yet…" She replied before deciding that she didn't want to talk about that right now. Stripping her shirt off from over her head, Rachel then moved to shimmy out of her shorts before reaching for the bottle of sunscreen that was in her bag. "I got most of me before I left home but could you do my back for me?" She requested also reaching for a hair tie to pull her hair up and off of her shoulders.

Like he could say no to that….Puck mused as he reached out to take the bottle from her hand before squirting a dollop of the sunblock onto his palm so that he could rub the lotion into her skin. Just standing behind her like this had Puck's body starting to react and he cleared his throat as he finished up before wiping the remaining lotion into his trunks.

"Are you going to go in or are you one of those girls that just sits on the side of the pool sunbathing….because if it's the latter, I'm throwing you in, not sorry." He smirked causing Rachel to shake her head.

"No, I was planning on going in." She declared, fixing her hair one more time before sliding her sandals off and heading over to the stairs at the shallower end. She was going in, but that didn't mean that she was going to jump in. Thankfully the water was warm and Rachel soon was standing in the four-foot section just creating small waves with her hands. While Puck wasn't one to usually find a woman beautiful, sexy was more his thing, even he had to admit that there was just something about her that was drawing him in more and more. When she looked back over her shoulder at him, Puck immediately remembered that he should probably join her in the water and so he quickly jumped in before swimming lazily to her side.

For the next two hours, the pair just played around, splashing each other, challenging each other with jumps from the side of the pool and Puck reveled in the squeal he received every time he dunked Rachel and she came back up. As they toweled off and settled back onto their chairs Puck finally mentioned the thought that had been in the back of his mind for the past few days but had grown steadily as he actually spent time with Rachel.

"If you want to do it, I'll help you know." There really wasn't enough detail there to give away what he was talking about right away and Rachel looked at him for a moment not even close to understanding.

"If I want to do what?" She questioned reaching into her bag again for water and pain pills since their fun had only heightened the pain that her cramps were providing her.

"If you want to get knocked up I'm your man. I mean it's been proven my boys can swim…" The way Noah said it was just so calm and collected that it hardly seemed like something that would come out of a teenage boy's mouth despite the vernacular. Not once had Rachel even considered that possibility, after all she had only met Noah earlier that week, and he'd already had a kid so it seemed unlikely that he would want to go through the same thing again. As the moment sunk into her brain, her jaw dropped in shock, and she nearly choked on her pills as she processed the gravity of his words.

"I...um…" Speechless was not something that Rachel Berry did often, usually you couldn't get her to shut up, but right now there weren't any words that would come to mind. Clearly he was serious, but she wondered if he knew just what it was that he was actually offering her.

"You don't have to take me up on it if you don't want to. Just thought I'd throw it out there." He commented, tugging his shirt back over his head. "I've got to get home before my Nana has my ass, but just so you know, I have thought about it, it wasn't a spur of the moment offer so let me wasn't the first time the idea crossed my mind, I've been considering it all week. Just not something you say over text. It's whatever, just let me know." With that he was walking out of the pool and Rachel just sat stunned. Her doctor had been pushing to know what she was going to do because if she was having the surgery the sooner the better. Now there was finally that glimmer of hope in the back of her mind, the one she'd been waiting for since she left the doctor's office. Now she just needed to convince her head to listen to her heart.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter serves kind of as a transition so it's very short I know. The bright side is I do have chapter 5 already written and I'm working on two versions of Chapter 6. One will stick to a Teen rating while the other will be bumped to a strong R/E and will be posted separately for those of you wishing for a more adult/detailed version.

From the moment she left the pool until she was lying in bed late that night, Rachel hadn't been able to get Noah's words out of her head. Across town, Noah couldn't stop thinking about whether Rachel would actually accept or not. Honestly, he didn't think she would, she didn't seem like that type of girl, but at the same time he understood how badly she wanted to be able to have her own children and it seemed like now was her only option.

It was after the clock struck midnight that Rachel finally caved and pulled her phone off of the table beside her bed to text him.

_Were you serious earlier?_

_**I said I was, didn't I?** _

_Just humor me, please._

_**Yes, Rachel, I was serious.** _

_And you've thought about everything it would mean? I know you've already fathered one baby, are you sure you want to do it again? I don't think I could give it up…_

For a second, Noah was slightly annoyed that Rachel was asking if he had thought about what it all would mean, he may be a Lima Loser but he wasn't a complete idiot. Then he read the end of her message and secretly his heart soared at the thought. If she agreed to this there would be a baby that would be sticking around. He wasn't looking for a replacement for Beth by any means, but if he was actually given a second chance to be a father, he was going to seize that moment and prove that he wasn't a deadbeat like his own dad.

_**I swear to you Rachel, I would be the fucking greatest dad out there if given the chance.** _

Though it was only words on a screen, Rachel could feel the emotion that was pouring out of them. As much as she wanted to be a mom, it was clear that he wanted a second chance to be a father. She knew that it hadn't been his choice to give his daughter up for adoption, and she admittedly felt sorry for him because she couldn't imagine being so close only to lose it all. Really, it was how she felt now in a way. Could she really turn down the gift that was being given to her in a man that seemed to enjoy her company and was willing to do whatever it took to make her happy?

_Come over tomorrow and we'll talk, and hopefully, I'll have a decision one way or another at the end._

It didn't take a genius to know that wherever Rachel was in that moment, she wanted to just give in. Still, there was something holding her back and if he wanted this as much as he thought he did, Puck would just have to convince her.

_**Be there at 8am. I know you're always up early anyway.** _

_I'll see you in the morning, Noah._


	6. Chapter 5

The next morning, Noah was up before the sun, a rare occurrence for the male teen outside of when he had to get up for school. Finding himself full of nerves, Noah decided to go for a run and it was just after 7 when he returned to his nana's, jumping in the shower before throwing on clothes to head to the address Rachel had texted him. The brunette had started her day off very similarly, jumping on her elliptical when she woke up, before letting hot water pour over her body as she cleaned and shaved every inch of her skin. As she stood looking in the mirror, Rachel glanced down at her stomach, imagining what it would be like to have a bump protruding from her front with her child growing inside of her. Deep down, her mind was already made up, she just wasn't ready to admit it yet.

As she was tugging her shirt over her body, the doorbell chimed and Rachel quickly sprinted downstairs to let Noah inside. "Hi…" She whispered, suddenly feeling nervous. Noah could only chuckle in reply and he motioned his hand to see if Rachel was actually going to let him step through the doorframe. "Morning Rachel." He declared when she quickly realized her error and motioned for him to enter. That gesture was quickly followed by her asking if he wanted anything as she hadn't had breakfast yet herself. Puck was never one to turn down food and so he followed her to the kitchen, leaning against the counter while she buzzed around to whip up a pancake batter before spreading the liquid on the griddle to cook.

There was a tension built from anticipation in the air and as Rachel and Noah sat down to eat their pancakes, Rachel's topped with fresh fruit, Noah's with chocolate and whipped cream the silence became overwhelming.

"Do you really want to do this?" Rachel murmured tucking her legs up under her as she gazed over at him nervously.

"What….bed you? That's a stupid question." Thankfully, Noah was able to choose a word that was less likely to offend Rachel though her eyes still went wide as she looked at him. Really, it was nice to get that confidence boost that suggested she was desirable despite everything else. Before she could tell him to be serious, Noah threw his hands up and shook his head at her. "Yes, I do want this Rachel. I want you. I want any baby that we make, I want the chance to prove everyone wrong. And it has nothing to do with using you to replace what I didn't get, it's about having a second chance." After a moment, Rachel sighed.

"You know it won't be easy right? Babies are expensive… and while I'm sure my dads will eventually help, I don't know how supportive they're going to be. There's a reason I haven't told them about any of this yet." Noah was well aware of all of this and standing up, he moved to pull Rachel to her feet.

"Do you want this?" He inquired letting one of his hands drop to her stomach while the other took hers and laced their fingers. "Put everything else to the side. Do you want this?" The conviction that he had, had tears welling in Rachel's eyes.

"Yes." She breathed, her head nodding.

"Then give in. We'll figure everything out with time." After all, once they got her pregnant, they had nine whole months before there would even be a baby to worry about. What they didn't have much time for was actually getting Rachel pregnant before the doctors pulled the plug on that idea and forced her to have the surgery. While a week and a half was hardly enough time to truly trust someone, Rachel felt like she could trust Noah and so she nodded.

"So….we're having a baby?" He asked her and the words immediately caused her to break down, though a smile quickly found itself spread across her face.

"We're having a baby." She agreed, her fingers moving to graze against his jaw as she took in the emotions on his face. That was until he kissed her and her eyes fluttered shut at the sensation. God, he tasted good, and she moaned softly, enjoying the way his hands cupped her lower back and her neck, holding her close to him. It wasn't until she needed to breathe that Rachel pulled back and immediately her face flushed as she pressed it into his chest. If they were going to have a baby, that meant they were going to have sex and that was something Rachel hadn't even fathomed was a possibility.

Honestly, Rachel was kind of adorable when all was said and done. Remembering that she had never been with anyone only turned Noah on further, though he pulled back from her for a moment to try and regain control. She deserved something special and immediately a plan formed in his mind. "Tonight…." He declared, his voice soft and low. "Wear a dress. I'll make sure your first time is something that you'll never forget." Chills ran up and down her spine and Rachel just stared at him again almost in disbelief that he had remembered and wanted more than just to sneak her up to her bedroom for a round or two.

"And we'll hopefully put a baby in my belly." While his tone oozed confidence, Rachel's was shy, despite how much she was looking forward to all of this.

"Trust me, there'll be a baby there soon enough." He whispered in her ear. "I'll make sure of that." He had a feeling that once Rachel was used to sex, she would be as insatiable as he could be. Noah quickly pressed Rachel against the counter before kissing her again. When they finally broke apart ten minutes later, Rachel's eyes were blown and her hair was tussled, a look that Noah thought only made her even more gorgeous. "I'll pick you up at 9?" He questioned, Rachel nodding in reply.

"That's fine. I don't have a curfew in the summer. Probably because I usually don't go anywhere." Still, that was hopefully going to serve her well over the next few weeks because Rachel wasn't giving up until she was thoroughly expecting.


	7. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://goo.gl/photos/3XtQ3W6JBh5CfRy67 
> 
> Link to the images related to this chapter. Includes Rachel's dress and lingerie.
> 
> Thanks to both of my reviewers here. I don't get nearly as many here as I do on ff.net but I enjoy hearing your feedback all the same.

Dress upon dress had been tossed on Rachel's bed as she tried to decide what she was going to wear, an action that seemed to be in vain. Noah had made it clear that she should wear a dress though and so Rachel was going to do her best to comply with that request. What did one wear to lose their virginity and hopefully make a baby, though? Deciding that what was honestly more important was her undergarments, Rachel moved to her drawers and carefully pulled out her nicest and prettiest bra and underwear set before laying it on her pillow, the only spot on her bed not already occupied.

Because of the shape of that set, Rachel knew she needed a higher neck dress which quickly narrowed down the pool available to her. Her eyes kept lingering towards one though she felt like it might be too much. However, the more she thought about it the more she was sure that he would love it. It had little cut-outs on her stomach that she was certain he wouldn't be able to keep his fingers away from, at least for as long as the dress was on her, and the pale blue color only accented her tan skin. With that decided, Rachel found herself pacing her room wishing that it would be late enough in the day that she could start getting ready.

After watching Funny Girl to distract herself from panicking, Rachel fixed herself a small salad for dinner before returning to her room to perfect her makeup and hair. Thankfully, once she started it didn't seem like long before the clock was approaching nine.

While Rachel had been trying to find ways to kill time, Noah felt like he didn't have enough of it. Stopping by the mall, Noah picked up an air mattress, some sweet sheets, and a couple pillows. Then he spotted some string lights and that sent him on the hunt for a version that was battery operated. For a moment he debated stopping at the drugstore out of habit but then he remembered that protection would kinda defeat the point. Instead, he detoured to the local clinic, leaving an hour later satisfied with the papers he wanted in hand.

Figuring out the setup was the part Noah was having the most trouble with. After all, he wanted to surprise Rachel but at the same time he was picking her up and if he set up too early the surprise would be ruined. So he decided that he would just have to wing it when they actually got to the spot he had in mind, he'd find some way to distract her. Once he had loaded up all of his purchases, Noah made a quick stop back at his nana's house to shower and change before he returned to Rachel's, ready to change both of their lives.

P&R

The moment the door opened, Noah knew that there was no other decision better for him than this one. Rachel looked like an angel, one that had killer sex appeal on top of utter perfection. "Damn…" He breathed, his voice getting caught in his throat for a moment. "You look incredible…" If she wasn't a virgin, he wouldn't have hesitated to say 'screw his plans' and just take her upstairs.

Noah didn't look half bad himself. It was clear that he had shaved and the sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows, showing off forearms that made Rachel swoon. "You don't look shabby yourself." She whispered smiling up at him. "Um...should we go?" She questioned, reaching for her purse on the table beside the door. With a nod, Noah reached for her hand and led her to his truck, helping her up before running around to climb into the driver's seat.

P&R

The drive was about half an hour and it was definitely dark when Noah pulled down a gravel road and into a clearing. Horror movies flashed through Rachel's mind but all it took was a single touch of Noah's hand on her knee and Rachel was relaxed again, looking over at him. "I want you to wait here for just a few minutes." He declared. "Just trust me. I'm not going far." While she wasn't a huge fan of being left alone in the dark, Rachel nodded weakly and just closed her eyes, willing herself not to fall asleep even though it was starting to get late.

Quickly, Noah jumped out of the cab and moved around to the back of his truck, quickly using the pump to blow up the air mattress before wrapping the fitted sheet around it and sliding it into the back where it was a snug fit. The top sheet followed as well as a blanket and the pillows he'd purchased were placed both up by the windows as well as along the sides so that there were no hard edges surrounding the makeshift bed. With that done, he clamored to drape the lights over the top, wishing that he'd thought to park near low branches. While it wasn't perfect it would have to do, especially since he was sure that Rachel was starting to get stir crazy.

When he climbed back into the truck Rachel was slightly confused and blinked quickly when he turned the light on overhead before handing her a sheet of paper. "Figured it couldn't hurt to give you peace of mind…" He whispered. Scanning over the words Rachel realized that she was looking at an STI panel, a negative one at that. It hadn't even dawned on her that he might be carrying something but she couldn't help but lean over and kiss him realizing that he really was going to take care of her. "Now that that's out of the way should I show you my plans?" He questioned to which Rachel nodded enthusiastically.

Admittedly, she hadn't been sure what to expect when it came to a teenage boy's sense of romance but as she moved around the side of the truck to the back, where Noah directed her to stand in place while he moved to switch on the lights she couldn't help but gasp. It was basically a fairytale, stars above them, minimal lighting and not a soul around to interrupt them. "Oh my god…" She breathed. "You did all this for me?" While this had been started because of her desire for a baby, right now it felt like so much more than that.

Gently, Noah's hands wound to Rachel's waist and he gently lifted her so that she was sitting on the hatch of the truck before he easily jumped up to help her move onto the bed, kicking his shoes off as he did. "You deserved something more than a quick round in a bedroom or even a seedy motel." He shrugged really not thinking that it was that big of a deal, he'd give himself some credit of course but not as much as Rachel seemed to want to.

As they settled onto the mattress, Noah tugged Rachel's body closer to his, feeling her tense slightly. "Relax...we'll go slow." He promised, sliding his arm under her shoulders before pulling her mouth to his for a soft kiss. This was really going to shatter any expectations Rachel had about this moment in the best way possible. As the kiss progressed, clothes were shed and Rachel was pulled under Noah's body, skin pressing together in ways that she would never forget and certainly never regret.


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little short, and a little sad but it's a good set up for what I want to come next.

While both Noah and Rachel hoped that their first time had been enough to conceive, neither was foolish enough to wait and see. Instead, they were intimate whenever they could. Starting out it happened mostly in Rachel's bed, but as Rachel became more comfortable with making love to Noah they added the shower and kitchen counter to the mix. Since the last days of July had just passed and August was moving along quickly both Rachel and Noah knew that they were running out of time. Not only did Rachel have a doctor's appointment coming up in which she could possibly be told that surgery was happening whether she liked it or not, but Noah was going to be heading home for football camp and his return to his own school, too far away for Rachel's liking.

The night before Noah was scheduled to return to Lima, he packed the last of his bags and snuck over to Rachel's house, specifically her bedroom window. Though she wasn't expecting him, Rachel's reaction was certainly not one that Noah was going to turn down. Within seconds his shirt was on the floor with the rest of their clothes following as Rachel insisted that they put in as many final attempts to make a baby as they possibly could. After all, this was the last chance she had.

Exhausted, the two fell asleep curled together, Rachel's head pressed against Noah's chest. When she awoke a few hours later, Noah was already up and simply staring down at her, a lazy smirk on his face. Even after only knowing Rachel for a few weeks Noah knew that she was going to be beyond emotional today and so he was better off not saying anything. Instead, he pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth and tugged her tightly against his body. He didn't have to make her promise that she would call when she found out one way or another, nor did he bring up seeing each other again. If he had the choice, no matter what he would come down here every weekend just to be with her.

By the time the clock struck 11, Noah knew he needed to leave and though he wanted to kiss away all of Rachel's tears he was sure that wouldn't be possible. Rather, he just hugged her tightly and murmured a promise that he would text her as soon as he got back to his house. Though she nodded, Rachel could barely hold back the tears that were certain to fall as soon as he was out of her sight. When they started this, it hadn't even dawned on her that eventually, he would have to leave.

As his truck pulled out from its spot down the block, Rachel's sobs broke loose and she slumped to the floor inside her front door. At the same time, Noah's fist slammed against the steering wheel and he sent up a prayer to the big man above that things would work out.


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CountryStrong - There will eventually be a move taking place but not yet.   
> MayDayDisaster- And yes, Noah is very sweet with her. Their parents should be in the next few chapters.   
> Onesie image - https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPRtMMnpQHhPQ5-WT_NXBpUOPBTMF2eH09T0dvrQ4w1OsF_wWyWJCS1aUV_U3pvGA?key=ZFlNQnR0TUNrdXV1Z05UZUVJU24zRG0xVlF4MGln

While Rachel had grown up used to being alone, she had grown so used to Noah's presence that it was a shock to her system. Though she knew her dads were probably worried, Rachel spent the next week or so locked in her room just crying and waiting for her phone to ding with the occasional message from him.

Hours away Noah was wrapped up with football though at the same time his mind never strayed too far from Rachel. On one hand that was distracting, but in a way it was also more motivation to be better. He wanted to be able to share these things with Rachel and for her to be proud of him. Though he hadn't known her long she was already right up there with his mom and little sister when it came to women he cared about.

When it was time for Rachel's next doctor's appointment nearly two weeks after Noah had left, Rachel's hopes weren't very high. She didn't feel any different physically, though her cramps had eased up a bit, a relief she contributed to her lack of physical activity. The drive was short though stressful, tiny little things like people not doing the speed limit grating on her nerves.

When she arrived at the office, Rachel signed in and took a seat, flipping through whatever magazine was next to her to try and force her mind away from everything else. Thankfully, it wasn't long before a nurse called her name and took her down the hall to take her vitals before leading her to an exam room and instructing her to change into the gown while she waited for the doctor.

Rachel certainly wasn't a fan of these exams and so once she had changed she sat on the bed just swinging her legs back and forth. Silently, she prepared herself to be told that they were going to have to schedule the surgery because either nothing had changed or the growth had gotten bigger.

Eventually, there was the familiar knock on the door before the doctor entered. He'd seen her enough recently to know that she had no desire for idle talk and instead he just asked her how she was feeling, only to be rewarded with a small shrug. Nodding he set up the machine next to the exam table before gloving up and instructing Rachel to settle her feet in the stirrups at the end of the bed. This procedure was never comfortable, and Rachel closed her eyes just wanting to block as much as she could.

With the machine turned on, the doctor focused the wand in the direction of the growth and after a moment Rachel heard him hum to himself before he shifted the device and flicked a switch. Immediately, a rhythmic thumping reached her eyes and the doctor spoke her name, asking her to take a look at the screen.

"Ms. Berry….that spot right there…." He pointed to a circular blob on the screen. "That's your baby. Congratulations, you're pregnant." Quickly tears filled her eyes as she took in the site of what would grow into her and Noah's child and the sound of a tiny heart beating filled her screen.

"Oh my god…" She choked out unable to believe that this was really real. "Are you serious?" She whispered her hand moving to rest on her upper stomach over the gown. Before answering the doctor took a few measurements on the screen before turning his attention back to her.

"It's still a little early to pinpoint an exact due date but it looks like you're somewhere between five and six weeks Rachel." That was absolutely crazy in her mind but she certainly wasn't going to complain.

"And the growth?" She questioned, now concerned for her baby's health more than her own. Finishing up with what he needed in relation to the baby, he shifted the wand back towards the growth.

"It looks like it has become less dense which is certainly a good sign. The size hasn't changed yet but I imagine that there will be a stark difference in the next few weeks." With that, he turned the machine off and handed Rachel a wet rag to clean herself up with before slipping the gloves off and making a few notes on her chart. "I'll have the nurse schedule you another ultrasound here in three weeks and that will give us a better idea on your baby's gestational age as well as how everything else is progressing. Of course, if you have any concerns in the meantime feel free to give us a call and we'll get you in."

Though she was still crying and somewhat in shock, Rachel was overjoyed and wished more than anything that Noah was here to be able to share the news with. Once the doctor stepped out of the room, Rachel redressed and grabbed a tissue for her tears before heading back to her car. After closing her door, Rachel pressed a hand to her stomach, just sitting in silence for nearly fifteen minutes, bonding with her unborn child.

The next thing Rachel knew, after stopping at a shopping mall and purchasing the cutest onesie that read 'hello daddy' in a pretty cursive script, she was driving past the sign that said welcome to lima. Rachel had never actually gotten Noah's address here so she aimlessly drove through the streets until she spotted a familiar truck in a driveway. Parking down the block, Rachel sent a text to subtly ask if Noah was indeed home and when he responded that he was just laying in bed playing video games she climbed out of her car and walked up to the house to ring the doorbell.

Rachel hoped that Noah was the only one home, there was only his truck in the driveway after all and though a younger girl came to the door, Rachel quickly spotted Noah running down the stairs behind her. The moment his eyes met hers, Rachel immediately started crying again and quickly he was pulling her against his solid chest, his hands gripping her tightly.

Quickly he barked an order to his sister to leave them alone and then she heard him whispering questions in her ear wondering what was going on. Without saying a word, Rachel tugged him towards the stairs and getting her message Noah led her to his room where he shut and locked the door behind them. Again he questioned what was going on and this time, Rachel tugged the onesie out of her purse, gently tossing it to him.

For what seemed like forever, Noah just stared at it before he finally looked back at her. "You're pregnant?" He exclaimed and as soon as Rachel nodded her head his mouth was on hers and his hands were on her stomach, pressing protectively. His reaction was everything that Rachel wanted and she giggled softly when they pulled back for air.

"I don't feel pregnant, but I went to the doctor today and low and behold, there is an embryonic sac and heartbeat." The awe on his face spoke volumes and Rachel rubbed her thumb along his cheek until he kissed her again, this time lifting her up and carrying her to his bed. There, he pushed her shirt up and knelt next to her stomach before pressing kisses to the soft flesh that was guarding their child. There weren't even words to describe how they were both feeling but this moment was more than enough. As he just laid next to her, alternating between her stomach and mouth, Rachel ran her fingers through her hair and whispered how grateful she was for him.


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, I really suck but things have been crazy lately. Anyway, to make it up to all of you, here's a chapter here as well as a little bonus that will be posted over in MA land.

When Rachel awoke, it was in Noah’s bed and his arms were wrapped around her protectively. Clearly, they had fallen asleep and as she watched him Rachel couldn’t stop the admiration she was feeling for this boy, no man. Everything he had done for her was far beyond his age and Rachel thanked God that she had met him.

Moments later his eyes fluttered open and he just grinned at her before jumping a bit when there was a pounding on his door. “Noah Abraham Puckerman You come out right this minute.” Though her eyes went wide, he whispered for her not to worry before getting up and flipping the lock.

“Yes, Ma?” He asked being forced to step aside as she made her way into the room. Rachel could feel the older woman’s eyes on her and she flushed a bit even though they hadn’t actually been doing anything inappropriate. Still, she didn’t know how much he had told his mother and so she glanced nervously at him. “Ma, this is Rachel, my girlfriend.” He stated, rolling his eyes a bit which caused her to smile.

“It’s a pleasure ma’am.” She declared, slowly forcing herself to her feet, her body slightly achy from just everything that had been going on.

“I expect that you’ll explain why your sister opened the door to find your girlfriend crying over dinner.” It was more of a statement than a question and Noah murmured that he would before moving back over to her.

“Are you okay with telling her?” He questioned though the both knew that they probably shouldn’t hide this massive news for too long. Rachel wasn’t looking forward to talking to her dads but it was something that needed to be done. Right now they were out of town at a conference though so there wasn’t anyone expecting her at home tonight.

After washing up and stealing a few more kisses, the teenagers headed downstairs and Noah apologized to his sister before introducing her to Rachel as well. The younger girl immediately had a million questions for Rachel and she answered as many as she could before Noah finally got his sister to give her a break.

Once dinner was ready they all sat at the table and for the most part conversation was normal, talk over football camp and what the kids would need for school. His mother asked how they had met and they kept it simple, stating that they had run into each other at the therapist’s office. It wasn’t a lie after all. It wasn’t until his sister Sarah had left the table to go watch a movie that conversation turned.

Noah squeezed her knee in reassurance before declaring that they needed to talk to his mother. Rachel hadn’t known Noah that long but he had mentioned that he hadn’t exactly been the best son at times. So Rachel tried  to think of the best way to break the news but before she could he had spit it out. “Ma, Rachel’s pregnant.”

“Yimakh shemo! Again Noah?!?” Rachel honestly hadn’t expected the curse and she shrunk back a little, looking to him to guide them through this.

“It’s not what you think Ma. Will you please just hear me out?” Though it seemed like his mother just wanted to be done she refrained from throwing the glass in her hand and instead returned to the table. “A few months ago Rachel was diagnosed with a mass in her uterus, at first it wasn’t a problem but it has continued to grow and the day we met she was told that it would have to be removed surgically taking her entire uterus and preventing her from ever having children of her own.” It was clear that the connection hadn’t been made yet and Rachel took a sip of her water, feeling her stomach twist with nerves.

“The only alternative the doctors could present was for Rachel to get pregnant now so that the hormone changes would force the mass to shrink. It was my idea so please don’t blame her. She didn’t see any way around  the surgery until I convinced her that together we could do this.” While he was talking his mother had gotten up to pace again and Rachel bit her lip nervously.

“So you’re telling me you tried to get this girl pregnant Noah?! Have you lost it?!”

“I’m gonna be sick…” Rachel whispered, suddenly feeling nauseous. Kissing her temple Noah pointed her to the bathroom murmuring that he would be there in a minute.

“Yes ma, I did try to get her pregnant because having a child with her may be hard but I feel things I’ve never felt before when it comes to anyone. She makes me want to be better. We may have only found out about the baby today but it makes me want to be better. I can be a damn good dad and I just need you to support me, us on this.”

By the time he had finished his plea, Rachel had gotten her stomach to settle a bit and was moving to his side, only relaxing when he wrapped his arms around her. “You okay?” He questioned softly, her only response a nod as she buried her head into his chest.

“Alright...if you think you can do this, I’ll support you, but it’s not going to be easy.” Rachel felt her heart flutter at the smile that appeared on Noah’s face.

“Thanks, ma.” He replied moving over to hug the older woman. As he pulled back Rachel heard him mention that she was Jewish and she could only chuckle at the way that changed the expression on his mother’s face. “Is is alright if Rachel stays the night?” Honestly, he wasn’t ready to let her or their child go yet, nor did he want her driving home in the dark.

  
With a wave of her hand suggesting that it was fine, his mother left the room to go check on the laundry and Noah pulled Rachel closer, kissing her before guiding her back up to his room.


	11. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trying to start the new year out not being as crappy as I know I have been. I appreciate you all being so patient with me.

With Rachel's fathers still out of town, she spent the next day or so with Noah and his family. And she was more than grateful to have the former by her side as she woke each morning, immediately bolting for the toilet to expel anything that had been resting in her stomach overnight. Though he groaned a bit, Noah was always there, tucking her hair back and rubbing soft circles near the base of her spine until the nausea passed and she was able to relax against him. They both knew this was only the start of it all and while it wasn't completely pleasant Rachel reminded him that she completely believed it was worth it all.

The time came though for Rachel to head back home and while Noah hated to let her leave they both knew that she had to. Making a promise that he would come down to see her before school actually started, Rachel climbed in her car and headed back home. She arrived just before her fathers after picking up a few groceries and when they arrived smelling of cigarette smoke from the cab, she couldn't help the twisting in her stomach that sent her bolting to the bathroom once again.

Both were waiting outside the door as she finished with worried glances and Rachel murmured that she was fine, though she attempted not to breathe in their direction. It was quickly determined that they would have a family dinner and Rachel nodded before heading to her room for a quick nap and just overall rest.

Alone, Rachel texted Noah that she had arrived home safe before informing him that apparently cigarette smoke was one of her scent triggers for morning sickness. He half cursed and half uttered his concern but after insisting that she was okay he dropped the subject instead updating her on football camp and how he was going to spend the evening with a few of the guys.

By dinnertime, Rachel had made the decision to tell her fathers about everything that had been going on and while she was anxious about it all she knew that it was better to do it now than to wait until Noah visited like he had wanted. After all, she kind of wanted him to keep his head and she was sure that her fathers probably wouldn't be happy about the situation.

They ate in silence but before anyone could leave Rachel declared that she needed to talk with them. She informed them that a few weeks ago the doctor had told her the mass would need surgically removed and immediately her fathers started to question when the procedure was happening and the like.

"It's not…" Rachel declared shaking her head. "I asked if there was any way around the surgery and the doctor provided a single alternative." It was clear that she had both of their undivided attentions and after taking a deep breath to try and work up the courage to continue she did just that. "The doctor told me that if I were to get pregnant now, it would almost certainly lead to the mass breaking down because of the hormone changes." She knew pausing would only make things worse and so she continued without even taking a breath. "I debated long and hard over it for a week or so but in the end I decided that while having a baby now isn't ideal, it is what's best for me. Dad….daddy, I'm having a baby…"

The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop...and then it wasn't. Her dads insisted that 'oh no she wasn't going to get herself knocked up because there were plenty of other ways for her to have children when the time was right'. The yelling made her stomach turn but Rachel knew that she just had to get through this and get her fathers on her side.

"I don't mean that I plan on having a baby, I am having a baby." She declared standing up to emphasize that she was going to stand her ground. It was clear that they still didn't fully understand what she was telling them and Rachel could only sigh. "I'm pregnant. This is happening. I know it certainly won't be easy but you are going to be grandparents."

The words that left her papa's lips made her heart drop into her stomach and tears welled in her eyes. "GET OUT!" He demanded and while she could hear her daddy trying to talk him out of being completely irrational, Rachel wasn't about to listen to them telling her that she was making a mistake or that they wanted nothing to do with her anymore. Running up to her room she tossed as much as she could in a bag before grabbing her phone and computer, her piggy bank and what she absolutely needed from her bathroom before running back down to her car, the front door slamming behind her.

Though she could barely see the road through her tears, Rachel instinctively knew where she was going and it was only an hour or so later that she pulled back into the Puckerman's driveway. It was only once she was there that she remembered Noah wasn't going to be home and she slammed her hand against the steering wheel, trying not to puke while sobs wracked her body.

She wasn't sure how long she had been just sitting in her car before the driver's side door was opening and Noah's mother was standing at her side, urging her to get out and come inside. It was evident that she knew what had happened as she led Rachel to the couch before returning with a cup of tea.

"It is going to be okay dear." She assured her before resting a hand on her knee. "You are welcome to stay here as long as you need to, after all, you are carrying my grandbaby."

Nodding her thanks, Rachel sipped at the tea to try and settle her stomach, her knees moving up to her chest as she let the remaining tears drip down her cheeks. She could hear his mother grabbing her things from her car and taking them up to Noah's room. Finishing her tea, Rachel headed upstairs to lay down and it wasn't until she was almost asleep that she heard Noah's voice from downstairs followed by his footsteps entering his room.

As he watched his pregnant girlfriend cry, Noah cursed himself for not going home with her having known that she would tell her dads and that it would probably go badly. Slipping off his shoes, shirt and jeans, he crawled into bed with her, just pulling her into his chest and kissing her temple while wiping the tears from her cheeks.

Seeing his mom in the door from the corner of his eye, he looked over and whispered a soft 'thank you' to her for accepting both Rachel and the baby into the house where they really belonged. He wanted to kill her dads for hurting her like this but right now all that mattered was that she was here and she was okay.


	12. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know I promised to be better but my muse has been testy lately as has my schedule. Please please bear with me, I have so many plans for this it's just a matter of getting the story in my head into words.

Seeing as Rachel was supposed to start school the Monday following her father's outburst, Mrs. Puckerman insisted on sitting down and discussing with the two teenagers how they were going to handle this. Obviously, Rachel couldn't drive back and forth every day, that was just too much. She'd suggested having Rachel enrolled at McKinley, but that was furiously denied by Noah who insisted that there was no way he was putting her through the torment she would be bound to receive at the hands of his classmates. He'd been through that with Quinn and seeing as Rachel was a nobody there it would only be worse for her.

Ultimately, it was decided that Rachel would enroll in cyber school. She had the work ethic to manage it on her own and it would provide the best possible alternative for her to still graduate while going through the pregnancy and having a baby to care for. Seeing as she'd always been a good student, Rachel found the first week easier than she had expected. That weekend she and Noah drove back to her house to gather the remainder of her things and to leave a note for her fathers letting them know that she was alright and taken care of. She was still angry and upset with them but she figured that they should at least know that she was alright.

The next few weeks passed without incident, Noah returned to school as well and when Rachel wasn't battling morning sickness or doing schoolwork she was helping around the house: doing laundry, fixing meals, and cleaning up. Everyone had insisted that she didn't have to but since Mrs. Puckerman was putting a roof over her head she felt like it was the least she could do, especially since it seemed like the house needed it.

It had been three weeks since Rachel had discovered she was pregnant and today she and Noah were heading down to her doctor's for the next sonogram. While Rachel had seen the baby once already and Noah had seen the picture from that visit, this time he was going to be there with her and that meant everything.

After signing in at the office, Rachel sat down next to her boyfriend and reached for his hand. "Everything is going to be fine…" She whispered being able to sense his nerves. She couldn't tell if they were from just being at an obstetrician's or whether he was worried about her and the baby but she really just wanted him to calm down so that they could enjoy this together.

When she was settled in the room and the doctor entered, he seemed surprised to see that she had company. "May I assume this is the baby's father?" He asked, and when Rachel nodded he reached a hand out to shake Noah's. "Well we're glad you're here and I'm sure you're excited to see this little one, am I right?"

"Excited but nervous at the same time," Noah admitted, and Rachel took his hand, pulling it up to her mouth to press a kiss softly against it.

"I keep telling him that everything is going to be fine but I don't think he's going to believe it unless it comes from you Dr." She explained, swinging her legs back and forth as a way of trying to channel her own nerves. The doctor proceeded to ask her a few questions, assuring her that her morning sickness was entirely normal before he suggested that they get things started. Now that Rachel was a little further along in her pregnancy he explained that they were going to attempt a normal ultrasound and only if that didn't work would they proceed with a vaginal. Rachel was more than okay with that as she was sure Noah was as well by the look on his face. Simply draping a paper shield over her lower half after lifting up her dress, Rachel leaned back against the table as the Doctor got things set up.

It was only a minute or so later before the cold gel was squirted on her stomach and the doctor moved the wand first to check on the mass before moving to the baby. "Good news Miss Berry, it appears as though the mass is about 30% smaller than it was our last visit and that its density is waning as well. I can't see it posing any problems for you or the baby though we will continue to keep a close eye on it."

Already Rachel was tearing up, hearing that things were going smoothly on that front was a huge relief and now she just wanted to see her little one again. When it appeared on the screen it looked a little bit like a jelly bean but it was certainly more recognizable all the same. "Noah….that's our baby…" She breathed, her cheeks wet with the happy tears that kept falling. As the doctor checked the heartbeat and assured them that everything looked and sounded perfect, Rachel felt Noah grab her hand and she glanced over at him, seeing the awe on his face as he clearly fought back tears himself.

After getting confirmation that she was about 9 weeks and 3 days pregnant, the doctor reminded her of a few things including getting prenatal vitamins if she hadn't already. Then he flipped the machine off after printing their pictures and handed Rachel a towel to clean up her stomach with. Leaving them alone, Rachel slid off of the table and moved to stand in front of her baby's father. "So...what do you think?" She asked, giggling softly when he leaned in to kiss her stomach before standing up and pulling her into his arms.

"I think that you are amazing…" He murmured sure that he had never had feelings as strong as the ones he was having right now for this woman. "I'm honestly kind of in disbelief right now. That's our baby Rach and already that little bean is pretty freaking incredible."

"More than a little incredible." She agreed. "I love him or her so much already and I'll never be able to thank you enough for giving them to me." Her hormones were evident and while they were still very new to this whole relationship thing, they were both in deeper than they'd initially envisioned.

Realizing that they should probably head up to schedule her next appointment and to gather the pictures, they left the exam room and then the office minutes later. The entire drive home, Rachel couldn't stop staring at the picture of their child and when they arrived back at the house, his mother was waiting for them, eager to share in their excitement.

Rachel was sure that Mrs. Puckerman nearly lost it upon seeing her grandchild and the tears that filled the woman's eyes had mirrored her own. This baby was going to be so very loved by this family and Rachel felt luckier and luckier by the minute. Despite everything, today, this….it told her that things were going to be okay. She and her baby were going to be okay.


	13. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know there's a little bit of a fluff moment that's kind of important at the end of the latest mature chapter. I couldn't find a way to transition it into here as well so if you want to read it you'll have to check out the other version. Sorry, not sorry /shrug.

It had been two days since Rachel and Noah returned from the doctor's appointment with the reassurances that they had a perfectly healthy baby growing inside of Rachel's womb. Tonight though, tonight was the first home football game of the season and Rachel had decided to surprise him. He'd done so much to support her that for tonight at least, she wanted to support him in something that he loved. While she didn't understand football in the slightest, she was fairly sure that didn't matter.

With his mother working that night, Rachel was watching his little sister Sarah and it hadn't taken too much convincing to get her to come along. After fixing a quick dinner for the two of them, Rachel got cleaned up and pulled out a white dress with a red sweater so that she was at least sporting the school's colors. Sarah had put on one of her brother's old jerseys and had Rachel put her hair up with red and white ribbons as well.

They certainly looked like quite the pair as they padded through the school's parking lot and over to the stadium. It wasn't overly crowded but it was busy and after paying their admission, Rachel followed after Sarah as she rushed to the bleachers to find them seats. Rachel honestly wasn't sure how many times Sarah or Mrs. Puckerman had been able to make it to Noah's games but Rachel was determined to make sure that he knew just how proud of him she was by being at as many as she could herself.

Popping a ginger mint that his mother had gotten for her to help with the morning sickness, Rachel listened as Sarah chatted away about the sport. She still didn't understand most of it but she was here to watch him and would take any insights his little sister could provide.

By halftime, Rachel wasn't sure that she could watch anymore. The game was far more violent than she had imagined and every time Noah was hit she found her stomach twisting and a shudder taking over her body. Sarah kept assuring her that he would be fine but Rachel wasn't convinced. It was interesting to watch him along the sidelines with his teammates. It was clear that he had some real friends on the team and she was determined to not let her pregnancy impact that. While she wanted him by her side, she knew that he also needed time to be a teenager or someday he would resent her and the baby, the last thing she wanted to happen.

At halftime, the team was down by seven points, or what Sarah called a touchdown and as they headed off the field, Rachel saw one of the cheerleaders making a pass on Noah. Immediately her blood started to boil but was quickly calmed when she saw him brush the brunette off. Still, the girl was gorgeous and Rachel couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious. It seemed like Noah could have any girl that he wanted but yet here she was pregnant with his child.

She didn't voice any of those thoughts, though she did stew on them for the second half of the game. As the seconds on the clock ran down with McKinley still down, Rachel saw Sarah point out Noah to her just as he caught the ball and broke away from a defender to run down the field. Before she fully processed what had happened everyone was jumping up and cheering and Sarah was screaming next to her about how her brother had just scored to win the game.

In the locker room after the game, Noah was pounded on the back and the guys were questioning him about what party he was going to tonight. Honestly, he had no desire to go to any of them, crawling into bed with Rachel seemed like a much better idea even if he wasn't tired in the slightest and even if she was asleep when he got home. After grabbing a quick shower so that he didn't make Rach sick, Noah threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and headed out of the locker room.

Rounding the corner to his truck, Noah was taken aback by a pair of arms flinging themselves around his waist and commenting on how amazing that last play had been. When he glanced down he saw his sister and a few feet away, Rachel was leaning against his truck smiling. She was wearing a white sundress and a red sweater and Noah was honestly kind of turned on by the fact that she'd actually come to the game.

After ruffling his sister's hair and accepting all of her compliments and criticisms, Noah moved over to Rachel and after glancing around to make sure they were alone, he pulled her in close and kissed her long and hard. "What are you doing here?" He murmured when he finally pulled back. "Wasn't expecting you."

Rachel could only shrug as she ran her fingers through his 'hawk. "I figured I'd surprise you." She replied, laughing as he pressed his mouth to her neck and brushed his fingers over her stomach.

"Damn nice surprise." He agreed, honestly feeling pretty darn loved by this woman even if he knew they weren't close to saying the words, after all, they'd only been together a few months and rushing things any more than they already had may lead to disaster.

"Were you planning on going out?" Rachel questioned not going to tell him that he couldn't if he wanted to. When he shook his head she nodded and kissed him again before pulling back. "Sarah, want to ride home with me or your brother?" Of course, Sarah wanted some time with Noah and Rachel couldn't blame her for that either. "Alright, I'll see you both back at the house then." She commented, sneaking one more kiss before heading across the lot to her own car.

Arriving back at the house first, Rachel moved to pour herself a glass of water. As she curled up on the couch, she heard voices heading toward the front door and a moment later, Sarah burst through calling out that they'd brought ice cream home. When the young girl discovered her in the living room she quickly handed over a cone of strawberry ice cream and Rachel felt her pulse quicken at the fact that he remembered her commenting on how good it had sounded a few days prior.

The three settled in with a movie and by the time the credits rolled, the bowl of popcorn was empty and Sarah was snoozing on the armchair across from the couch. "You put her to bed and I'll clean up?" Rachel suggested softly to Noah who nodded and picked his sister up gently. She was loading everything into the dishwasher when he came up behind her and kissed her neck before wrapping his arms firmly around her torso.

"I can't believe you came tonight…" He trailed off and after a moment Rachel turned.

"After everything you've done and are doing for me….the least I could do is support you in something you love, even if I don't understand any of it...or like seeing you get hit." Her voice dropped into a concerned tone as she spoke and she ran her fingers over his jaw. Honestly, it was one of her favorite features on him, second to his eyes and the way he was looking at her now just made her gasp. "Noah.." She murmured only to be interrupted by his mouth on hers.

This woman deserved only the best parts of him and day after day he was completely amazed by her. No matter how sick she felt she always got up and did her school work, cleaned up the house and cooked dinner. Honestly, he felt like a bit of a slacker in comparison. And here she was claiming that she didn't do enough for him. "You are something else, Rachel…" He mumbled picking her up and carrying her toward the stairs. They could clean up in the morning, right now he just wanted her, he needed her to see how much she meant to him even if he couldn't say it.


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, I fail royally but work has been crazy and I've just been accepted to law school so my mind is all over the place. Was in a bit of a writing mood tonight so I've gotten two chapters of a new St. Berry story and one of this which will hopefully jumpstart another when it's not after midnight. Enjoy and I'd love to see some comments.

As Rachel approached the end of her first trimester of pregnancy she expected her morning sickness to get better, instead, it seemed to get worse. From the time Noah got up to go to school every morning until at least lunchtime, Rachel found herself hovering over the toilet. Noah hated that Rachel was so sick and that there was really nothing he could do about it, not from across town. Still, he racked his brain trying to think of something that might brighten her spirits and make up for the fact that it was his child that had her unable to keep down anything of substance for half the day. 

With football season also came Homecoming and while Noah wasn’t certain he wanted her anywhere near McKinley, he also thought it might be nice for her to do something that was so stereotypically high school. They both needed to make sacrifices for each other and this baby and while he’d already decided against playing basketball this winter in lieu of finding a job, in his mind she had made far more sacrifices than he had. 

Deciding that he would at least see if she had any interest in going to the homecoming dance, Noah stopped after school to pick up a small bouquet of sunflowers before heading back to his house. With no sign of Rachel downstairs, Noah headed up to his, no their, room. She jumped when he opened the door and when he looked over at her he couldn’t help but gasp, any further breaths getting caught in his throat. She was standing in front of the floor length mirror in nothing but her bra and underwear and with the way her hand was placed over her stomach it was obvious what she was looking at. 

If he were someone that wasn’t intimately familiar with her body, it wouldn’t appear that there was anything different, but since he had spent many a night worshiping every inch of her the slight protrusion of her abdomen drew his attention right away. Silently, he approached her and while one hand tangled in her hair while he kissed her the other dropped to her stomach, surprised at the slight firmness that met his touch. 

“Shit Rach….that’s our baby.” He whispered awestruck at seeing the first real signs beyond the ultrasound that was tucked away in his wallet. After all, if anyone saw it he would just say that it was Beth. 

“Our baby.” Rachel echoed, a tear slipping down her cheek as she pressed herself against him. She’d understood that she was pregnant, the sickness gave that away but seeing it like this, the way her body was changing to adapt to the growing fetus inside of her was something else, something that completely took her breath away. 

For nearly an hour, Noah and Rachel stood embracing in his room, his hand never shifting away from the slight ‘bump’ that had appeared. When he finally pulled away it was because he’d remembered what he’d wanted to ask her before they’d both been distracted by their child. 

“I want to take you to the homecoming dance.” Noah proclaimed as he moved to dig in his drawers for a t-shirt for Rachel to slip on before someone else came home. “I mean...if you’d be interested in going that is.” He added. Taking a glance at her as she slipped into the shirt he handed her he could tell that she was unsure about all of it. “I know I said there was no way in hell I was letting you attend McKinley but I don’t really see any harm in us going to the dance together.” He explained not realizing that Rachel’s babbling, when she was nervous, had worn off on him just a little. “It’s not like anyone needs to know that we’re expecting and it would be nice to have a night to just dance with you. I know you haven’t gotten to do much of anything like that since well…” He explained, scratching his fingers against his scalp gently. 

It was honestly kind of sweet how nervous Noah seemed to be about all of this and Rachel found her smile drifting a bit into his infamous smirk as she listened to him go on about it. 

“I would be honored to go to homecoming with you.” She assured him, cupping his cheek in her palm before pulling him in for a kiss, her tongue dancing across his lips teasingly. All of her emotions had been on edge since she noticed the slight change in her body and seeing how enamored Noah had been with it as well had her body tingling. 

“So it’s a date.” He declared and as soon as the words left his mouth Noah realized that he’d never actually taken her on a real date before. He’d have to make up for that sooner rather than later but he was excited to be able to show his magnificent girlfriend off to his friends. 

“It’s a date.” Rachel agreed, pecking Noah’s lips again before heading downstairs to start the family’s dinner.


	15. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp...here's another chapter. It just seemed to keep going and going and I didn't want it to get too long so the actual dance will have to wait one more chapter. Still, I think there are a lot of good things in this one and I hope all of you agree.
> 
> Rachel's homecoming dress: https://photos.app.goo.gl/tirvx4SHtu3nreCs1

The first Friday night in October had brought brisk temperatures and the homecoming football game. Rachel had dressed in jeans and one of Noah’s sweatshirts as she attended the game with his mother and sister, dragging the former along for the first time in Noah’s high school career. It had been fun, though Rachel had immediately gone home after to warm up under a steaming hot shower, her fingers and toes half numb. 

Having instructed Noah to at least make an appearance at one of the parties, Rachel stirred awake when he slipped into bed beside her the clock reading just after midnight. While there was a faint tinge of beer on his breath, when her eyes met his she could tell that at max he’d had one drink. Rolling onto her back, Rachel yawned and shifted to try and alleviate the slight ache that had appeared in the tight muscles of her lower back. 

“Did you have fun?” She whispered, smiling when Noah took her hand and kissed the back of it. 

“A little.” He responded, his voice also soft and when Rachel questioned his answer he simply shook his head. If he were honest, spending time with people whose only ideas of fun were getting wasted and then hooking up with whoever was there just didn’t appeal to him. But he understood Rachel not wanting him to completely stray from the things he would do if they hadn’t met and weren’t becoming parents, he didn’t want her to lose the things that made her who she was either. “Rather be here with you though.” He added, his voice slightly gruff from exhaustion and the waves of sleep that were eager to take over the second he let them. 

The sound of his voice made Rachel shiver as it always had and after twisting to peck his lips, she turned to settle back into sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, and she was nervous about arriving at the dance on his arms when she was a complete stranger to the rest of the student body. They were sure to have questions and answering them was going to be complicated. 

As always, Rachel was up fairly early and for once the morning sickness didn’t send her straight to the bathroom. She was nauseous, yes but it wasn't as horrible as it had been. That was a win in her book and after slipping back into a pair of pajama pants she headed downstairs to have a cup of tea and some fruit. Noah’s mother joined her soon after and inquired about whether she was ready for the dance that night. 

“I guess so…” She murmured as her hands clasped around the mug in front of her seeking its warmth. “I was able to find a dress at a secondhand store thankfully.” It had honestly taken her most of her Wednesday to find a dress that she could afford with the knowledge that she needed to reserve as much money as possible for the baby growing inside her. 

“I’m sure you’re going to look stunning.” His mother had told her causing her to smile. “I know this hasn’t gone exactly the way you’ve planned and that I wasn’t thrilled about it but I do want to thank you for the positive impact you’ve had on Noah. He’s not the same boy that he was last year with everything that happened, he’s turning into a man and I know that I have you to thank for that.” 

Hearing those words from his mother’s mouth made Rachel tear up and when the older woman noticed, she was quick to step around the counter and to pull Rachel into a hug. “You are going to be a wonderful mother. And if we’re both lucky my son will make an honest woman out of you someday.” Having never had a mother, the embrace and the words of faith were exactly what Rachel didn’t know she needed and after a long moment, she finally pulled away, brushing the tears from her eyes. 

“Thank you. For everything. I know this isn’t easy for you either but you’ve never given up on Noah, on me.” It was then that the aforementioned boy stepped into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and he felt his heart swell seeing the moment that his mother and girlfriend were sharing. Without saying a word he simply moved to kiss his mother on the cheek before pecking Rachel’s lips and pressing a hand to her stomach. 

“G’mornin’” He mumbled to them both before turning to the fridge to get himself breakfast. Over breakfast, Noah and his mother talked about the game from the night before and Rachel sat down to complete an assignment for Monday, wanting to work as far ahead as possible. When Sarah awoke, she joined them and eagerly started talking about the sleepover she was going to that night since Noah’s mother had to work and obviously, Noah and Rachel had other plans. Rachel couldn’t help but smile at the younger girl, being accepted into Noah’s family had given her both a mother as well as a younger sibling, something that she had always wondered about having. 

The majority of the day was spent like most Saturday afternoons, in front of the tv while Noah watched college football and the girls worked on the ever-present puzzle that was set up on a folding table in the living room. It was an activity that Rachel had suggested since it wouldn’t cost much but it was something that they could work on together throughout the week whenever they had time. Sarah and Noah’s mother loved it and it made Rachel feel even more a part of this family, a feeling she cherished. 

Around four that afternoon, Rachel headed upstairs to get ready knowing that it would take her awhile to shower, dry and curl her hair, do her makeup and then actually get dressed for the dance. She wanted to look absolutely perfect for Noah.

When Rachel climbed down the stairs ready to go, she found Noah already waiting in the kitchen having used his mother’s room to get ready himself. Hearing her heels clicking across the floor he turned to look at her and his jaw dropped as he took her in. 

“Damn babe.” He breathed causing Rachel to smile brightly. The plum color of the dress accented her tan skin and all Noah wanted to do was to take her back upstairs to get her out of the dress. Her tiny little bump was completely invisible as well, something that she had insisted on when she went dress searching so that no one would start spreading rumors and their secret would remain a secret until they decided otherwise. 

“So I did okay?” She murmured softly her hand moving to cup Noah’s cheek after twirling for him. 

“You are stunning.” He assured her, smiling as her perfume reached his nose. “Absolutely stunning.” Her cheeks flushed and she leaned up to kiss his lips gently before turning around with a giggle when his mother called their names from across the kitchen. She was dressed in her scrubs for work but the camera in her hand signaled that she wanted a few photos before they all walked out the door for their evening plans. 

Standing in Noah’s arms, Rachel smiled toward the camera and after a few pictures, Noah insisted that they needed to get going if they were going to get dinner before the dance. To Rachel’s surprise, instead of heading to one of the many restaurants in town that were bound to be filled with other teenagers that had similar plans, Noah instead headed straight to the school. When they arrived he came around to help her out of the truck before reaching into the back for a blanket and picnic basket. 

“Come on…” He directed her, taking her hand with his free one after locking up the truck. Curious as to where they were going, Rachel just let him lead the way, smiling when he led her through one of the side doors to the school and then into the theater. 

“Noah…” Rachel murmured as he headed toward the stage. “I don’t think we’re supposed to be here.” Her words had Noah setting their supplies down on the lip of the stage before turning back to her. 

“Would you relax?” He insisted but knowing she wouldn’t, continued after a moment. “I got permission okay. The choir teacher was a little confused about why I wanted to use the theater but when I told her my plans she okay’d it. She’s a sap for shit like this.” His last statement caused Rachel to giggle softly and after a brief pause, she took his hand. 

“If you’re sure.” She conceded, climbing the stairs to the stage before sitting down when Noah had spread the blanket out. “This idea was wonderful, thank you.” She murmured, her fingers brushing against his thigh as he worked to empty the basket out in front of them. There were two servings of pasta, some bread as well as a bottle of sparkling cider, the perfect dinner for them to share. 

“You’re welcome. I know we’re trying to save money and this seemed like something you would appreciate. I only ask for a performance from my girlfriend in return.” That seemed doable though Rachel obviously didn’t have anything prepared ahead of time. She was certain she could come up with something and it had been too long since she’d had a stage to sing on, so she was eager to perform even if it was to an audience of one. So far today had been absolutely perfect and she could only hope that the dance would go just as well.


	16. Chapter 15

There was a comfortable silence between Noah and Rachel as they sat on the stage eating dinner before the homecoming dance. When both trays of pasta had been finished, Noah presented her with a cupcake and after tearing back a piece of the wrapper, fed it to her causing Rachel to giggle as some of the icing got all over her nose. Noah was quick to remedy the situation, wiping the icing off with his fingers before sucking them into his mouth. His teasing made Rachel bite her lip, a small moan slipping past them, after all, they were both more than aware of where the night would likely end up. 

Still, they had other plans to attend to first and after cleaning up the basket which Noah tucked into a corner backstage to get on Monday, he helped her up before jogging off the stage to watch her perform. Rachel had been thinking about what she wanted to sing and as she stood there looking out at him she remembered a movie she had watched with Sarah earlier that week. Its lyrics had seemed so fitting to her and Noah’s relationship and everything they were going through and so without any music, she simply started to sing, pouring her heart out into every word. 

They don't always happen when you ask  
And its easy to give in to your fears  
But when you're blinded by your pain  
Can't see the way, get through the rain

A small but still, resilient voice  
Says hope is very near, oh   
There can be miracles When you believe

Though hope is frail   
Its hard to kill   
Who knows what miracles  
You can achieve

Though he’d heard Rachel sing around the house while she was cleaning or cooking, he’d never seen her truly perform. Noah almost couldn’t believe just how talented his girlfriend was and though he hadn’t yet admitted it to her when she was awake it was even more evident to him that he was head over heels in love with her and that he needed to do whatever it took to make all of her dreams come true: including Broadway. 

When you believe somehow you will   
Somehow you will   
You will when you believe

The moment she’d finished he stood clapping for her, watching a flush take over her cheeks as she basked in his praise and the feelings of her performance. A moment later she was rushing into his arms and her fingers were scratching lightly at the back of his neck as she kissed him.   
“Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.” He whispered when they broke for air, his tone revenant.   
“Thank you.” She breathed in reply. “Sarah and I watched The Prince of Egypt and I couldn’t help but think about our little miracle when I heard it.”   
Their silent moment was broken when they heard footsteps and laughter from outside the auditorium. Wrapping his arm around her, Noah motioned for them to head toward the noise and Rachel nodded after a moment, letting him lead. She enjoyed having him all to herself and she was nervous about how all of this was going to go but she’d agreed to come with him so they should probably make an appearance at the dance.   
It only took a minute for them to reach the gym and after Noah handed their tickets over to the teacher working the door, he guided Rachel inside and over to the refreshment table, grabbing two bottles of water. There was music playing but no one was really on the dance floor yet so instead, they just headed to a wall, Noah leaning against it before draping an arm around Rachel’s waist.   
Standing there, Noah pointed people out to her and Rachel listened closely finally placing faces to some of the names he mentioned. When Quinn and Finn walked in and Noah commented, Rachel felt her blood run cold for a moment. That was who he’d previously had a child with? The blonde was head cheerleader and looked like that. Though Rachel knew deep down that she had nothing to compete with she couldn’t help but wonder how she ever could. 

Noah wasn’t a complete idiot and he noticed Rachel’s reaction the moment he pointed out Quinn. He also knew what she was thinking to an extent and after debating on how to reassure her he turned her to face him and brushed a stray curl out of her face. 

“I could list the many many reasons why you’re so much better than her but I know you won’t believe a word I say so instead I’ll just say this. I love you. It’s probably too soon but it’s true. I love you Rachel and you’re giving me the greatest gifts. You believe in me and that alone is a miracle I never expected.” Pulling from her song choice was certain to make her smile and a small one did flash over her face as she listened to him. Whispering softly so that no eavesdroppers could hear he continued. “And you’re giving me a chance to be a father, to raise our baby and I’ll owe you for the rest of my life for that.”   
When she didn’t say a word for nearly a minute, Noah started to rethink his confession, but then he saw her start to speak and then pause before words finally left her mouth. 

“You love me?” She questioned, awestruck. 

“I love you.” He confirmed and as he did he knew that what he had said was exactly what she needed to hear to get through tonight and every night here on out. 

“I love you too Noah.” She proclaimed, her face bright though a few happy tears filled her eyes. “I was afraid that I was being completely crazy for feeling this way so soon and I didn’t want to scare you by saying it.” 

“Not going anywhere, babe.” He assured her and heading an upbeat song start to play he offered her a hand before urging her back from the wall. “Now come on...I believe I had promised you some fun and a few dances.” 

Before he could take more than a step though, Rachel had leaned up to press her lips to his in a soft kiss, one that spoke volumes about her feelings for him and after returning it, she let him actually lead her onto the dance floor. 

It wasn’t long before both became aware of all of the sets of eyes on them but they refused to let it bother them and instead they just relaxed, enjoying each other’s presence as they danced and sang along to the songs being played. It was goofy and relaxed and something they both desperately needed in order to escape the pressures they had put on themselves. When Rachel needed a break they headed to get a cookie and some more water and then returned to the dance floor for a slow song where Noah just wrapped her in his arms and swayed to the beat, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. 

They had been there for almost an hour and were taking another break from their dancing before a few of Noah’s football teammates came over to inquire about his date and Noah introduced them before sweeping Rachel away again. Already her feet were killing her but Rachel refused to let anything put a damper on the night. She’d just make Noah massage them when they got home. Dancing to another slow song, one which Noah decided to dip her at the end of, Rachel noticed the blonde and lumbering boy she was with approaching them. As she regained her footing, Rachel pressed herself into Noah’s side, her hand wrapping around his back. 

“Dude, who’s this?” The boy questioned and Rachel couldn’t help but smile as Noah responded.

“This is my girlfriend Rachel. I told you I was bringing a date.” It was hard to fight back a chuckle at the boy’s confused face as he tried to remember being told that. Any thoughts of laughter were suppressed though when the blonde spoke. 

“I didn’t realize that you were slumming it with some nobody. Where the hell did you find this thing?” Though Rachel wanted to slap the blonde and was fairly certain she’d never hated someone so much before, she instead looked up at Noah and seeing his jaw clenched, quickly reached up to smooth her thumb against it. At her action, his eyes met hers and she silently told him that it wasn’t worth getting upset over. 

“We met this past summer when Noah was staying with his nana,” Rachel explained refusing to let the blonde think that she was intimidated. “We hit it off and have been together ever since.” Watching the blonde’s eyes narrow, Rachel knew that she was going to try and sabotage whatever Noah had going on, for whatever petty reason she told herself. So instead she commented to Noah that she was tired and ready to go home. As she started to walk away she paused and turned back before making one last comment to both teens. “Oh and congratulations for getting past the whole babygate thing, you two look good together.” 

The shock on Quinn’s face at the knowledge that Rachel knew everything made her smirk and she could feel her boyfriend trying not to bust out laughing until they got to his truck in the parking lot. 

“Oh my god Rae...that was amazing.” He declared and shrugging she ran her fingers down his chest. 

“Eh..she needed knocked down a few pegs.” Rachel proclaimed. “Now take me home because I think we have other plans we should get started.” As she spoke her voice dropped an octave and Noah immediately groaned, his fingers clenching in the fabric of her dress. 

“Fuck babe.” He mumbled and Rachel smirked, pressing a kiss below his ear. 

“That’s precisely the plan.” She replied, feeling him stiffen against her before opening the door and helping her into the truck. 

Neither noticed the teens watching them from the door as they drove away.


End file.
